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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24686323">Midnight Snacks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chess_Blackfyre/pseuds/Chess_Blackfyre'>Chess_Blackfyre</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Secura Family [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Zabraks have tapeta lucidum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:49:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,194</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24686323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chess_Blackfyre/pseuds/Chess_Blackfyre</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The advantages of rank and connection leave Aayla with a fridge full of actual, non-nutrient paste food. People take advantage of that. </p><p>Or, Five times Aayla Secura has caught someone raiding the fridge in the middle of the night, and one time she gets caught doing it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aayla Secura &amp; Maris Brood, Aayla Secura &amp; Quinlan Vos, CC-5052 | Bly/Aayla Secura, CT-4077 | Saint/Galahad Dulak, Original Clone Trooper Character(s)/Original Jedi Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Secura Family [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718575</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>229</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Open Source Soft Wars</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Midnight Snacks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <strong>One: Quinlan</strong>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">When Aayla sees Quinlan raiding the fridge in the officer’s quarters in the middle of the night, she isn’t even surprised. Because of course. Of course her former master decides that right now, after she just got off of 72 hours of near constant battle and little sleep, would be the perfect time for a visit.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“What are you doing here raiding my fridge at—“ she looked at the chrono “—one thirty in the morning?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Your fridge?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“It’s the fridge where I store all of the Twi’lek edible food, now answer the question.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“At the moment, admiring it,” the Kiffar informed, not turning away from the open fridge. “You have, by far, one of the best stocked galleys in the GAR, Aayla” he comments by way of greeting. “I mean, fresh fruit? Mushrooms? Vegetables? Actual milk? Indulging the benefits of command, oh padawan of mine?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I can’t eat standard issue rations, and Dulak has a friend in the AgriCorps,” she informed, sitting down at the small table nearby. “And I’m not your padawan anymore.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Which, knowing Galahad, means that she leveraged the opening to try to get your boys more than just tasteless ration bars for the rest of the war,” he theorized, grabbing what he wanted and laying it out on the nearby counter. “You’re still my little girl, no matter how old you get.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Aayla rolled her eyes. “Our CMO just wants to be sure that I always have something to eat. Better to have too much than too little.” And if said food could also be consumed by humans, well then that’s just being productive. It was a total coincidence that the 327th was some of the best-fed men in the GAR. Total coincidence.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“You still haven’t answered my question, by the way.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He started laying out the gathered snacks onto a platter, reminding the Jedi of the snack table at many a party.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I’m here on security checks. Use my Jedi Shadow skills to evaluate the security of various Republic flagships.” He shrugged. “Also, I’m raiding your fridge because I want to grab something for the poor kid that I knocked out, hogtied, and shoved into a broom closet.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“So you go with a charcuterie board?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I don’t know what he likes. Plus, I couldn’t find the ice cream.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><hr/><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">
  <strong>Two: Saint</strong>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“If you’re looking for Bly’s ice cream, he doesn’t keep it in there.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">A head of bleached white hair shot out and the face that went with it looked distinctly like the youngling who got caught with their hand in the sweet jar. She recognized the clone as Saint of Gold Squadron. Someone who was very much not an officer, and therefore not supposed to be in here.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Uh—hello General.” He tried, going for an innocent smile and failing miserably.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Aayla waved her hand from the doorway. “At ease Saint.”She looked him up and down. "So, what brings you out here this late?"</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Baar’ur—I mean, Major Dulak is still in medbay, and missed mealtime. I just wanted to bring her something to eat—her and the other medics, and I mean!” The young man hastily corrected.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The Twi’lek raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It seemed the young soldier had a crush on their CMO. Interesting. Very interesting. </p><p class="p1"><br/>“If you’re looking for something simple, make a charcuterie board. Everyone loves charcuterie.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Yes, general.” He acknowledged, and looked back towards the fridge with an expression of seriousness “What is that, exactly?”</p><p class="p1"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <strong>Three: Maris</strong>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Seeing a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness nearly gave Aayla a heart attack, and caused the Twi’lek to release a distinctly un-Jedi like sound.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Then she recognized the chuckle, and flipped on the light to reveal her amused young apprentice. Maris Brood was sitting at the lounge table, eating some sort of leg of meat. Uncooked. Aayla wrinkled her nose, and reminded herself that Zabrak were a carnivorous species.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I won’t ask why you’re sitting here, eating, in the middle of the night, with the lights off,” she raised her eyebrow, then took the time to look at her young apprentice. Maris shrugged and tore off a small piece of meat with her fingers. An interested chirp and Apricot poked his head out from underneath the table, taking the offered morsel before retreating back down.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">A wave of fondness from both sides of the training bond as the two Jedi chuckled at the loth-cat. Although, now that Aayla was looking…she could see the apprehension in the slump of Maris’ shoulders, and a distracted look in her gaze.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Are you worried about your Res Selenoren?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Maris shrugged in a way that means ‘yes’. Two days from now, she would leave the 327th for her homeworld of Iridonia, accompanied by master Eeth Koth. The Zabrak Jedi would drop her off in the section of Iridonia that had been chosen for her survival, and then advise her when the time came for her to get her facial tattoos.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Do you want to talk about it?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Another shrug.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“You know, being worried about it is completely natural. I’m an experienced Knight and even I pause at the idea of being left in the wilderness for an entire month. If you really aren’t feeling ready, I’m sure that I can figure out some big, important mission to send you and Bly on together.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“No…”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Taking the last bite of her meat, Maris wiped her hands on her napkin and reached down to grab Apricot. The loth cat obligingly allowed himself to be snuggled as he sat in the Zabrak’s lap.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“It’s not that, I know I’m ready, but…” she bit her lip. “There’s literally a war on, and I’m leaving to do this stupid Zabrak thing. I haven’t even seen Iridonia since I was a baby. It’s stupid!”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Now why did Aayla have trouble believing that? “Do you really think so?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The pause was heavy.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Maris, if the Res Selenoren is important to you, then there’s no way it could be ‘stupid’. No one here is going to begrudge you taking part in an important cultural milestone.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I just…I don’t like the idea that I’m just leaving you guys high and dry for a whole month.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Apricot’s head.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Well, I won’t lie and say you won’t be missed. You're part of the Star Corps, but we were able to handle things before you came along. I know that no one here would begrudge you the slightest bit for taking time off to do something so important." A nod, it was starting to sink in. "Besides, it's not like you're going on vacation, you're doing what, to my understanding, Bly and the other commanders did as part of their survival training."</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">Apricot jumped up onto the table, tail swishing in Maris’ face as he started nibbling on the scraps of meat.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“So, I heard that Bly hides his ice cream somewhere in here?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Allegedly.”</p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <strong>Four: Bly</strong>
</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“So you <em>do</em> hide your ice cream in here.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The commander, to his credit, looked sheepish. Both at being caught eating a bowl of his infamous sugary deliciousness, and snuggling with a certain little beastie. Given the man had been so insistent that the loth cat couldn’t stay here, Bly sure was fine with Apricot lounging on his lap.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Reverse psychology, everyone knows this would be the most obvious place to hide my stash, so it couldn’t possibly be in here,” he explained between bites.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Aayla grabbed a spoon out of the drawer. “Is that Alderaan double chocolate?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Yes it is, and you can’t have any.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Pouting over not getting any ice cream, the respected Jedi General leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. It lasted all of five seconds before the two of them broke, laughing.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“So, what’s the cause of the two am cuddle session? Are your brothers being, what is the word, ‘shebse’ again?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Bly snorted. “Sir, we were decanted assholes, that’s just the default setting.” He smirked and took another bite of ice cream.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Then may I ask what is the reason?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The commander sighed, set the bowl down, and leaned back on his chair. Hands calloused from war gently pet over the loth cat’s tawny fur. Like a lot of clones she’s met, he isn’t comfortable with extended silence.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I’m worried about Maris,” he muttered. The first time he’d admitted it in the two weeks since she’d left. “And I already know what you’re going to say. She’s a Jedi, and more than that she’s spent the better part of her time with us in one war zone after another. Not to mention how she’s probably a lot safer on Iridonia than she is out here with us.” Perhaps Bly thinks if she says it then he can actually believe it.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I wasn’t going to say that.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">He raises an eyebrow.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Alright, I would have said that, if only to try and make you feel better,” Aayla conceded. “But then I’d also say that I know how you feel.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Bly looked surprised. “Jedi or no, Maris is alone in the wilderness, no armor, no lightsabers, nothing to defend herself but a small vibroblade…so much could go wrong and we would have no idea.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Don’t you have that whole training bond thing?” He asked, gesturing to the side of his head with the spoon. “Can’t you use your Jedi mind magic to check in on her or something.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“It’s not ‘mind magic’ Bly, it’s the Force,” she reminded, reprimanding him by grabbing the bowl and stealing a few bites of his ice cream. The cool treat is sweet on her tongue, and she holds back from making a delighted sound. “It’s a training bond, and it stretches thin the farther we are from each other. I can tell she’s alive, but that’s about it.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Bly nods, and absentmindedly runs his hand over Apricot’s back. “What is it you tell her to do? Trust in the Force?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I also trust in Maris. I trust that I—that <em>we</em> have trained a strong, clever, capable girl.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">A shared smile and she can sense some of the tension and fear leave him.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“So, how much is it going to take to keep you quiet about this particular hiding spot?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Giving me a bowl would be a good start.”</p><p class="p1"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <strong>Five: Galahad</strong>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">By this point, Aayla wasn’t even surprised to find someone rifling through the fridge. This time though, it was Galahad Dulak, Force Healer and CMO extraordinaire. Her dark hair was down from its usual bun, and she appeared to be wearing a trooper’s casual black top as a nightgown or a dress, the hem ending mid-thigh. Aayla hazarded a guess that it was probably all she was wearing.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Galahad.” She greeted. “What are you doing up?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“Oh you know,” she said with purposeful casualness, “I was up and I just wanted a little midnight snack. Medicine never sleeps and medics only do so rarely.”</p><p class="p1"><br/>“Ah, yes, of course.” Aayla decided that she didn’t see the hickey on the side of Galahad’s throat. Or the one on her collarbone. In fact, she had no idea what was happening whatsoever. Just two Jedi having a little chat next to the fridge, that was all.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">She looked at what the Jedi was actually carrying. Strawberries, crushed nuts, whipped cream, caramel, all the things Maris had gotten Bly after confirming that yes, the man did, in fact, have ice cream stashed somewhere. “That’s a lot of toppings you have there, Galahad,” she remarked, if only to keep up appearances. “Don’t you want to put them on something?”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“It’s alright,” the young healer assured, closing the door with her hip. “I have something back in my room.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Aayla indulged the smile as the Force healer made a hasty exit. Maris was going to be disappointed. She had bet that Galahad and Saint wouldn’t get together until at <em>least</em> Lifeday.</p><p class="p1"> </p><hr/><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">
  <strong>Plus One: Aayla</strong>
</p><p class="p1"> </p><p class="p1">Bly rubbed his eyes and stared out into the kitchen, even as the sight before him didn’t change.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The refrigerator door was open, and the light from within cast the Jedi an interesting silhouette, especially with her growing stomach. “Aayla, what are you doing up, it’s zero-dark-thirty.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">The Twi’lek woman stared him in the eye and squirted more hot sauce onto the pickle. “Your child likes spicy foods.” The sharp snap as she bit into the concoction seemed to echo all the louder in the dead of night.</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">With a chuckle, Bly went over to his pregnant wife as she took her first bite. Wrinkling her nose at the taste, she took another. He leaned over to address her growing abdomen. “Are you giving your mother trouble, ik’aad? And here I thought you’d have to be decanted first.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“You did once tell me you and your brothers were born shebse,” Aayla mumbled between bites, “perhaps it’s genetic.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">Rising up, Bly hugged her from the side before pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Maybe she just wanted to try something draluram.”</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p1">“I could definitely go without the heturam on my end, dearheart,” she mumbled, taking another bite.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Maris: “Alright, Apricot, you hold down the fort while I’m gone, okay?”</p><p>Apricot: *blep*</p><p>Maris: “Blessed. Rejuvenated. I could walk into oblivion with a smile on my face.”</p><p>Eeth Koth: “Is she okay…?”</p><p>Bly: “Yeah that’s just how she talks to the cat.”</p><p>Mando'a<br/>Baar'ur--medic, Saint's affectionate nickname for Galahad<br/>shebse--asshole. If you've read soft wars, you know the shebse squad<br/>ik'aad--baby, child under 3 years old<br/>draluram--food with a strong, distinct flavor, very much desired in Mandalorian cooking<br/>heturam--mouthburn</p><p> </p><p>Zabraki<br/>Res Selenoren--Rite of Passage, it occurs after a young Zabrak's horns have grown all the way in.</p><p>Hope you've enjoyed this! If you have, leave a comment below and let me know!</p></blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
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